MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid's Dutch international striker Ruud van Nistelrooy returned to training on Wednesday for the first time since undergoing surgery on his injured right ankle last month.

"The joy at being able to step on the pitch after many weeks of not being able to do so was evident on the face of the striker," the defending Spanish champions and current La Liga leaders said in a statement.

Van Nistelrooy, the Spanish first division's top scorer last season with 25 goals, trained on his own, mainly running and without kicking a ball in anger.

"He has the hope of being able to take part in the last and crucial matches of the league," added the Spanish giants.

The 31-year-old striker himself said on Tuesday that he wants to be back playing in time for the historic derby match against bitter rivals Barcelona on May 7, when Real could clinch the championship with two games to go.

Real are at the top of the Spanish first division with 66 points from 31 games, seven points ahead of nearest rivals Villarreal with seven matches left. Barcelona are third but also have 59 points.

Van Nistelrooy had arthroscopic surgery at a clinic in the Netherlands on March 19 in a bid to stop inflammation in the problematic ankle joint.

He had played sparingly since injuring the ankle in a league match against Almeria on February 2.

The injury put the brakes on Van Nistelrooy's scoring spree after hitting 11 league goals during the first half of the season and four goals during the Champions League group stage at the end of last year.

He has not found the net in any competition since January 20. Van Nistelrooy signed a one-year contract extension in January with Real Madrid which will keep him at the club through to 2010.

He joined Real from Manchester United in July 2006 on an initial three-year contract believed to be worth 15 million euros (23.5 million US dollars).